Exposure timing alignment for color specific exposure times

Abstract

An optical scanning system. In representative embodiments, an optical scanning system is disclosed which comprises at least one first photosensitive detector that is sensitive to light in a first frequency band, an exposure control circuit that is capable of exposing the first photosensitive detector for a first time period and at least one second photosensitive detector that is sensitive to light in a second frequency band. The second photosensitive detector is fixed at a first location relative to the first photosensitive detector. The exposure control circuit is capable of exposing the second photosensitive detector for a second time period with the second time period being longer than the first time period and the midpoint of the first time period occurring at a time proximate to the time of the midpoint of the second time period.

What is claimed is:  
     
       1. An optical scanning system, comprising: 
       at least one first photosensitive detector sensitive to light in a first frequency band;  
       an exposure control circuit capable of exposing the first photosensitive detector for a first time period; and  
       at least one second photosensitive detector sensitive to light in a second frequency band, wherein the second photosensitive detector is fixed at a first location relative to the first photosensitive detector, wherein the exposure control circuit is capable of exposing the second photosensitive detector for a second time period, wherein the second time period is longer than the first time period, and wherein midpoint of the first time period occurs at time proximate to time of midpoint of the second time period.  
     
     
       2. The optical scanning system as recited in  claim 1 , wherein the optical scanning system is a machine selected from the group consisting of an optical scanner, a facsimile machine and a digital camera. 
     
     
       3. The optical scanning system as recited in  claim 1 , further comprising: 
       at least one third photosensitive detector sensitive to light in a third frequency band and fixed at a second location relative to the first photosensitive detector, wherein the exposure control circuit is capable of exposing the third photosensitive detector for a third time period, wherein the third time period is longer than the second time period, and wherein midpoint of the first time period occurs at time proximate to time of midpoint of the third time period.  
     
     
       4. An optical scanning system, comprising: 
       at least one first photosensitive detector sensitive to light in a first frequency band;  
       an exposure control circuit capable of exposing the first photosensitive detector for a first time period; and  
       at least one second photosensitive detector sensitive to light in a second frequency band, wherein the second photosensitive detector is fixed at a first location relative to the first photosensitive detector, wherein the exposure control circuit is capable of exposing the second photosensitive detector for a second time period, wherein the second time period is longer than the first time period, and wherein when first and second photosensitive detectors are moved in a predefined manner relative to an object, at midpoint of the first time period, light from a point on the object is incident at proximate center of the first photosensitive detector and at midpoint of the second time period, light from the point is incident at proximate center of the second photosensitive detector.  
     
     
       5. The optical scanning system as recited in  claim 4 , wherein the optical scanning system is a machine selected from the group consisting of an optical scanner, a facsimile machine and a digital camera. 
     
     
       6. The optical scanning system as recited in  claim 4 , further comprising: 
       at least one third photosensitive detector sensitive to light in a third frequency band and fixed at a second location relative to the first photosensitive detector, wherein the exposure control circuit is capable of exposing the third photosensitive detector for a third time period, wherein the third time period is longer than the second time period, and wherein when first, second, and third photosensitive detectors are moved in a predefined manner relative to the object, at midpoint of the third time period, light from the point is incident at proximate center of the third photosensitive detector.  
     
     
       7. A program storage medium readable by a processing circuit, embodying a software program of instructions executable by the processing circuit to perform exposure alignment, the program comprising: 
       logic, for a first time period, for exposing at least one first photosensitive detector sensitive to light in a first frequency band; and  
       logic, for a second time period, for exposing at least one second photosensitive detector sensitive to light in a second frequency band, wherein the second photosensitive detector is fixed at a first location relative to the first photosensitive detector, wherein the second time period is longer than the first time period, and wherein midpoint of the first time period occurs at time proximate to midpoint of the second time period.  
     
     
       8. The program storage medium as recited in  claim 7 , wherein the exposure alignment occurs in a machine selected from the group consisting of an optical scanner, a facsimile machine and a digital camera. 
     
     
       9. The program storage medium as recited in  claim 7 , the program further comprising: 
       logic, for a third time period, for exposing at least one third photosensitive detector sensitive to light in a third frequency band and fixed at a second location relative to the first photosensitive detector, wherein the third time period is longer than the second time period and wherein midpoint of the first time period occurs at time proximate to time of midpoint of the third time period.  
     
     
       10. A program storage medium readable by a processing circuit, embodying a software program of instructions executable by the processing circuit to perform exposure alignment, the program comprising: 
       logic, for a first time period, for exposing at least one first photosensitive detector sensitive to light in a first frequency band;  
       logic, for a second time period, for exposing at least one second photosensitive detector sensitive to light in a second frequency band, wherein the second photosensitive detector is fixed at a first location relative to the first photosensitive detector, wherein the second time period is longer than the first time period, and wherein when first and second photosensitive detectors are moved in a predefined manner relative to an object, at midpoint of the first time period, light from a point on the object is incident at proximate center of the first photosensitive detector and at midpoint of the second time period, light from the point is incident at proximate center of the second photosensitive detector.  
     
     
       11. The program storage medium as recited in  claim 10 , wherein the exposure alignment occurs in a machine selected from the group consisting of an optical scanner, a facsimile machine and a digital camera. 
     
     
       12. The program storage medium as recited in  claim 10 , the program further comprising: 
       logic, for a third time period, for exposing at least one third photosensitive detector sensitive to light in a third frequency band, wherein the third photosensitive detector is fixed at a second location relative to the first photosensitive detector, wherein the third time period is longer than the second time period, and wherein when first, second, and third photosensitive detectors are moved in a predefined manner relative to the object, at midpoint of the third time period, light from the point is incident at proximate center of the third photosensitive detector.